The Hanging Tree
by The Lonely Rose Petal
Summary: They all were gone, but she was still there. She was still was still and so was the hanging tree.


For those who haven't read _The American Cousin_, Rocky is my OC who is albino and is Akashi's second generation adopted cousin. Read my story to understand that, please.

I own Rocky and that is it. I used adrisausus's version of the song, but the song is ultimately owned by Suzanne Collins. And Kuroko no Basuke is owned by... Well I don't his name, but I bet y'alls can look it up.

No set era or country but i can tell you the place doesn't exist. Also assume that the average death age is between 60 to 70 years old in the village.

Ages: first age is when we meet them/ age when they die (2 exception will be explained throughout the story)

Kise: 24/34

Aomine: 24/36

Midorima: 24/42

Murasakibara: 25/44

Kuroko: 21/22

Akashi: 24

Rocky: 19/40

Kagami:20

Warning: there is Aomomo (Aomine/Momoi), but I normally don't ship them together.

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><p>The small town of Teiko<p>

Rocky sat at the base of the town tree. Not many people who remember that day still live to tell the tale. And if they were alive, they couldn't tell you the whole story, the true story of how it destroyed a family. Only Rocky knew it.

Rocky sighed and looked up into the branches of the old tree dispute being blind now. She listened as the knotted lopes swung in the gentle late autumn breeze.

_"Are you, are you coming to the tree where they strung up a man. They say he murdered three."_ Rocky began to sing. The song was an old local lullaby, but it was in the ancient tongue of the town at was lost to all but a handful. _"Strange thing did happen here, no stranger would it seem if we met up in the hanging tree."_

Flashback (21 years earlier)

(1) Rocky watched as her cousin slaughtered the three men who had tried to harm Kuroko Tomoko, the local "ghost" and her cousin's lover. Akashi wiped the blood off his hands before going to comfort his love. She was too pure in his eyes to be tarnished by the filthy blood.

Akashi had a bad reputation around town for being a cruel man. No one dared to drive him out of the small village, for everyone feared him along with their hate. Kuroko had come to him one day, asking for sanctuary. She had been forced to leave her last residence because her last land lord couldn't stand the "sudden show-ups" her lack of presence caused. Her cousin had fallen for Kuroko the moment he saw her.

Normal Time

_"Are you, are you coming to the tree where a dead man called out for his love to flee?"_ Rocky continued. _"Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it seem if we met up at midnight in the hanging tree."_

Flashback

"Guilty!" Shouted the judge.

'No!' Thought Rocky. She couldn't believe it. Her cousin had just been found guilty for the slaughter of the three bastards who attacked Kuroko. All the other witnesses hadn't seen her, so they couldn't have known he was protecting someone. And those who had seen Rocky knew she could have handle herself from the three older guys, if only for her reputation for always fighting and always winning. And if they did see Kuroko, they weren't about to admit it anytime soon. But what really got to Rocky was not the fact he was found guilty it was his sentence.

Akashi Seijuro was to be hung within the week at high noon.

Everyone in the court said nothing, but Rocky knew they were silently cheering on the inside.

'Sick bastards!' She shrieked inside her head. 'Why? Not that damn tree! No!'

She couldn't take another family member down from that tree, not again. Only three years ago she had to take her mother and aunt down from the cursed plant. Her uncle had been too ill to get out of bed and Akashi had to take care of him, so she was alone that day. And she would be alone on at his sentence, too. However, she would not speak out against the court because they would find some reason to hang her, too. Quite frankly, she wasn't ready to die yet.

As they dragged Akashi away, he he struggled to stopped and turned to his cousin, but he managed to call out to her._ "Tell her to run. Tell them all to run. I won't be able to protect them anymore. You must tell our family to leave here. Good luck." _He spoke in the old tongue. Then, he was gone.

That was the last thing he told her.

Rocky ran from the court house to her home, not stopping for anything. She stopped a second to compose herself while at the end of the lengthy walkway to he house before continuing on up the cobble pathway. When she got to the front door, she threw it open. Everyone there stopped what they were doing when they heard the door burst open. Rocky stared at their patched together family, her pseudo brothers.

Murasakibara had been the first. Akashi had picked him up from behind the town bakery a week after his illness claimed him. Dispute being homeless for years, according to the purple haired adult, he was over two meters tall. Apparently that Is why his real family had kicked him out, they couldn't keep up with his height. Midorima was second. He had had to drop out of medical school because his family had been robbed, and a few months later murdered by the same people. Aomine came thrived after being taken off the streets by Rocky. She had saved him from being mugged and possibly killed. Those guys that night looked really pissed off. Kise had been the second to last, before Kuroko, to join their merry band of misfits. He had been a gigalo who had wanted out of the game, but his madam won't let him. (AN: A madam,if don't know it term used for a female pimp. I should know, my aunt was a madam.) Kise came to Akashi for help because Kise had heard of Akashi's persuasiveness. Akashi had "negotiated" with the madam, and ever since Kise has been with them. Kuroko was no where in sight. She was probably in her room, crying. Or maybe she was in the bathroom? She had been very sick as of late.

This was her family... And she had to force them to leave their home.

"You have to go." Rocky spoke calmly dispute her slightly disheveled appearance. The group of young adults now stared at with wide eyes. "You have to go now. The town's people will try to get you and hurt you," her words quickly coming out faster and faster, " try to pin you S accomplices in the..." She paused, not wanting to complete that statement. Kise and Midorima both hung their heads low. Aomine's morphed into a look of rage, vengeance, and pain. Murasakibara just stared into his chips. They all knew what she meant with out her saying so. "Sei-kun... had been...They're going to hang him."

Everyone in the room stared at her in shock and pity. They all knew how that had claimed her last biological family and the only other mother like women in life.

"No..." A voice whispered in the hall near by, unheard by all.

"No..." The voice got louder. Everyone turned to face the hall way.

"No." It was even louder. All the people's who were in that room contorted with pain.

"No!" Kuroko fell to her knees and wailed out her persecuted lover's name. Murasakibara and Kise both ran to her side to try and confront the distressed young girl.

"Tomoko-chan, please, you must leave. All of you must leave. Please..." Rocky, now crying herself, pleaded. She never felt as weak and useless as she did at that moment.

"No!" Aomine denied. "Let them come! We can handle ourselves! Why should we leave the only place in this whole fucked up world that excepts and us? No. I won't just let them take my only home, my only family away from me!"

"Aomine!" Murasakibara yelled, surprising everyone. The blue head shut his mouth. When Murasakibara doesn't use '-chin', he is serious. "We can't do this now. I want to fight back just as much you do, but we're not strong enough. leaving here, those are Aka-chin's orders, aren't they?" A hallow look coverec his face.

"Yes they are..." Rocky answered. Her voice was cold, not with anger but of hallowness.

"Will you be staying behind, Rocky?" Midorima shakily breathed out, pushing his glasses up. He had remained the most steady, being no stranger with the deaths of family, but Rocky could see even he could shatter at any moment.

"I have to." Rocky took a deep breath and composed herself. "Some one has to bury him. Besides, he only told me to get you guys out of here. A dead man called out for you to flee."

Normal Time

_"Are you, are you coming to the tree where I told you to run so we it be free?"_ Rocky sang as she got up from where previously sat. She cautiously walked over to Kagami Taiga, an orphan boy who she had adopted a few months after becoming blind.

"Want me to take you to them, nii-chan?" Kagami asked. She nodded yes. They had done this ritual many times over the years.

_"Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it seem if we met up at midnight in the hanging tree."_ She continued quietly as she was lead to visit her family who rested eternally on the hill behind the tree.

Flashback

Today was the day. The day they hung the "deranged" Akashi Seijuro. The day they would rid the world of the man who "terrorized" all in the town. Everyone was required to attend by ancient law, unless they themselves were also knocking on Death's door.

Their merry band of misfits had disbanded days ago, promising to write when they got to where they were headed. She stood alone in the crowd once more.

"Any last words?" The sheriff asked in his gruff, old voice.

"Yes, please." Akashi answered with a calm demeanor.

"Then precede."

"Rocky, I'm sorry I must put you through this again. Please know if had a chance to do it again." He paused gathering his breathe. "Tomoko, I know you're here today. Where ever you are, please just leave now. Leave here and be free. Please, carry my memory with you and we'll both be free."

Rocky started to breathe quickly. Akashi was always right, it's the main reason why the town hated him so much. For the first time in her life, This power of his scared her. Rocky performed a 360 turn about, trying to find Kuroko. Unfortunately, Rocky spotted said teal head on the hill behind the hanging tree. Kuroko stood there crying, her hands resting on her stomach. It was then Rocky figured it out. Kuroko Tomoko was pregnant with Akashi Seijuro's child. Rocky made a face that would described as something between anger, exasperation, and guilt.

"I love you, Kuroko Tomoko." Akashi last said before the executioner pull a lever, opening the trap doors below The doomed red head.

"Seijuro! No!" Rocky screamed, her face even redder than usual. The tears she had pushed back now streamed down her face. A officer who knew of her cousin's true kindness, one of the few in town, quickly wrapped his arms around her to keep her from running up and cutting her cousin down.

Akashi's foot twitched for awhile before ultimately stopping. Everyone there started to murmur joyous reliefs of his death or snide remarks on Rocky's behavior.

Akashi Seijuro was no more.

Normal time (Warning!: this is about to be sad. You have been warned.)

Rocky stood in front of the nine aged grave stones of her family, three of which she had made peace with years ago. If up you asked, Rocky could tell you word for word what each polished of weathered rock read, dispute her blindness.

The first stone had been lined with yellow Sunflowers and read:

**KISE RYOUTA  
>BELOVED MODEL AND ACTOR<span>**

Kise had left for the smallest of the major cities in this small nation, Kaijo. He had made a name for himself after appearing in a couple of TV episodes that years ago cancelled. Rocky had always told him he was a good actor. Afterwards, he began receiving many modeling jobs and movie or TV roles. With his handsome face and the charms he gained from being a gigalo, girls were always falling at his feet. He died at age 34 because a plane crash. It was reported he died on impact. In his will, he left all his money to a orphanage charity and Rocky. He had no wife or children, no family besides what he was force to leave years before. His will also stated he be buried on this very hill, with his family. All of his fans came to the funeral, but only four people truly cared he was gone.

Rocky took a step to the right. The next tombstone had blue Hydrangeas surrounding it and read:

**AOMINE DAIKI  
>BRAVE POLICE OFFICER AND LOVING HUSBAND<span>**

Aomine had traveled to Touou after he left, another big city. Instead of fame, Aomine joined the police force. Rocky heard many consistered him one of the best, if not the best. He had married six years after he came to the city. Momoi Satsuki was the best criminal profiler there. Rocky had later heard that Aomine and Momoi had been childhood friends and each other's first loves. Sadly, their six year marriage was short lived when disaster struck. There had been a hostage situation and Aomine had been in the special tasks unit sent to handle the situation. As the terrorists fled, Aomine was the only one to pursue them, the rest of the squad had been busy with searching for a bomb later to find was only a hoax. Aomine was shot Ipin the heart by the youngest one in the group, a fifteen year old boy who had got caught up in the crowd. Aomine had only been 36 when he died. On the day of the funeral, Aomine's coworkers and all the hostages he save came and gave their thanks and condolences to the grieving family. That very day, Momoi also confided in Rocky that she wanted to kill herself. Rocky only took her hands, blindly guided to the hanging tree, and calmly told Momoi the same words her cousin had called out to his love all those years ago. Momoi now lives not too far from Rocky and Kagami with her son.

Rocky smile at the thought of the pink haired woman. Rocky took another step to the right, now standing in front of a third stone that was surrounded by pale green orchids. This one read:

**MIDORIMA SHINTARO  
>ACCOMPLISH DOCTOR AND RESPECTED ASSOCIATE<span>**

Midorima went to live in Shutoku, the city he had been studying in before having to return to his biological family. He finished his schooling at the top of his class and became a widely known and respected doctor. Midorima had died at age 42 from a deadly disease he had caught from one of his patients. Not many of Midorima's colleagues had come to his funeral, but Rocky understood why, they didn't have time to morn the dead while saving the living. Some of his former patients, like Takao Kazunori, came though and they, like the hostages, gave they thanks to Rocky and Murasakibara for they themselves would not be here if not for the dead green head. To be honest, Midorima's death came as the least shocking of all the deaths, seeing as Midorima worked in a hospital full of sick people and worked on the deadliest cases, but the grief hurt no less. Rocky's family was quickly dwindling.

Rocky took a deep breath and yet again took another step to the right. The fourth stone had a wreath of blackish purple carnations hanging off it. This one read:

**MURASAKIBARA ATSUSHI  
>EXCEPTIONAL BAKER AND BELOVED GUARDIAN<span>**

Murasakibara had moved to Yosen in the far south. Rocky remembered hi. Telling her that Yosen had been his home own before he had been kicked out. Murasakibara had opened up a bakery there that had quickly became famous for its sweets and giant owner. As his business grew, Murasakibara took on an apprentice named Himuro Tatsuya. Himuro apparently had been an orphan who had began living out of the dumpster behind the bakery. Murasakibara was the only one to visit Rocky after settling down some where else, not including the funerals. He was the only of her family to meet Kagami. Kagami and Himuro, who apperently was only a year older than Kagami, hit it off quickly, already call each other brother after only one meeting. Murasakibara and his apprentice returned to his shop the next day, promising to visit again one day, and he did...

For Kise's funeral...

For Aomine's funeral...

And for Midorima's funeral...

Each time, he would leave Himuro at the shop. Rocky knew the reason was so Himuro never saw him cry.

Murasakibara died because a mentally unstable man with a real bomb on his crest ran into his shop, yelling for his ex girlfriend who wasn't even there. Himuro had been out at the market at the time when it happened. There had been no body left for Rocky to bury. Rocky later heard, in honor of Murasakibara's charity to anyone and everyone, the whole city had chipped in and helped Himuro rebuild the bakery. He still owns the place and is assisted in maintaining it by a close friend of Himuro, Alex.

Rocky took a slightly larger than before step and now stood between two barely legibly stones, both with two flowers deeply, deeper than the names craved in then a red tiger lily and light blue Tweedias. Even as the names faded, she knew who they belonged to, for she was the one to chip the stone and lie the couple there.

She took a long breathe in and began to sing once more. _"Are you, are you coming to the tree? Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it seem if we met up at midnight in the hanging tree."_

Flash back (16 years earlier)

The last four years had been hard for Rocky. The other people in the down harassed her for being related to Akashi, but lately it hasn't been as bad before. Rocky had gone blind after being hit in the back of the head with a brick about three years ago. She had a hard getting a job for her blindness alone and had been very tight with her money after Akashi died.

It was early in the morning, when Rocky was woken from her sleep to the sound of the bell and shouts of the town crier. Rocky called for said boy to stop as he ran past her window.

"Oi! What's with all this racket this earlier in the morning?" Rocky asked in her normal morning attitude. The boy turned to see who had called for him to stop. When he saw it was the Rocky, he flinched.

"Uhm..." There was a pregnant pause before he continued. "Rocky-san, Kuroko Tomoko was found this morning hanging in the hanging tree." The boy shrinked back, fearing the wrath of the last known Akashi, but it never came.

"Thank you. You may carry on now. Rocky stepped away from the window to the now awake four year old Kagami.

"Rocky-nii-chan? What's wrong?" The little one asked as he saw tears start to form in the corners of her eyes. He ran over to the crying albino, hugging her leg to comfort her. "Don't cry, nii-chan!"

She smiled at his efforts. Rocky kneeled down, hugged him back, and began to sing an old lullaby her mother sang to her when Rocky was very little._ "Are you, are you..."_

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><p>I'm done! I'm finally done!<p>

The Lonely Rose Petal


End file.
